Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Review (PS4)

Bulletstorm was originally released as a futuristic first person shooter on the PS3, PC and Xbox 360 in 2011. The game was praised for its unique implementation of the whip and kick mechanics that added a new twist to the standard shooting in an FPS. Sadly the sales weren’t as strong as expected and the game quickly faded into oblivion, only to emerge as a cult classic among the fans.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition is an attempt to give the series another chance on the current generation consoles while the updated version of the game is also released for PC. This updated version is being marketed as a remaster of the game that revamps the visuals and adds Duke Nukem as a playable character, which changes some of the conversations in the game since Duke has his own dialogue and voice acting implemented.

If you originally played the game on PS3 and Xbox 360, the biggest change this time is perhaps the addition of 60 FPS as the standard. This means the game plays much more smoother now and with improved visuals, that might be a mixed bag for some people, it is clearly the way to experience the game on consoles. However the improvements to the visuals are just not enough to recommend the game with its current price tag, which is $59.99 on all platforms.

This is a rather strange price choice to pick here for a remaster and something that diminishes the good will for the game. I mean we have recently reviewed another remaster for the PS4, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix, that included 4 remastered games, 4K resolution, 60 FPS and 2 in-game cutscene based movies, all for the price of $49.99. Compared to Kingdom Hearts, Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition includes slightly remastered visuals, 60 fps and 4K support. There is also the cameo for Duke Nukem which is something that we will tackle later, but it is not worth the price to pay $59.99 at launch.

What makes Bulletstorm stand out apart from other shooters is its well written cast of characters, comedic value of its story that is not afraid to throw a joke or two even during some of the more serious moments in the game, and the addictive skill-shot gameplay that basically encourages the player to use the game’s whip and kick mechanic to their best of ability in order to torture and kill the enemies.

Most of the standard first person shooters usually revolve around shoot and cover based approach but in Bulletstorm, you are encouraged to stand out in the clear while creatively using the whip to pull enemies from behind cover and then proceed to throw them to a trap that can either electrocute or pierce them. This dynamic works really well in the battle system making it far more engaging than your standard shooter. It is satisfying to kick and pierce an enemy on metal or think of ways of unlocking the hundreds of skill-shots.

The game goes through some incredible set pieces where you are chased through sand by a giant rolling ball of steel or an enormous monster. These set pieces are fun and show the potential of what to expect from such a fun combat system. While the game has plenty of moments to shine, there are also some dull moments particularly during the end, when the developers fail to keep the quality of it consistent with the rest of the game. It is admittedly a fun game but albeit one that has its fair share of flaws.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition also supports skill-based multiplayer and the new addition to the Full Clip edition is the inclusion of an Overkill mode that can be unlocked after completing the main campaign. Aside from that, there is an Anarchy mode featuring co-op that appears to be inspired from the Horde mode of Gears of War series. There is also the Echoes mode which rehashes some of the main story missions for co-op play. The thing that doesn’t work here is that the map variety is not that great and the gameplay can get repetitive in multiplayer, which means there is no reason to keep playing it after the initial few hours.

This brings us to the major addition to this remaster, and one that has been marketed a lot – Duke Nukem as an unlockable character. Unfortunately at the time of writing this review, Gearbox is still working on implementing proper lip sync and animations for Duke Nukem in the game. While it is true that the characters is incorporated in the game’s story and has his own set of special dialogue and voice over in the game, he often feels like a forced addition instead of something that was carefully designed for the main game. So in term of the impact he carries on the game, it is a mixed bag,. Depending on how much you love the character, you can either hate him or enjoy him as a playable character.

Bulletstorm: Full Clip Edition Review (PS4)

Game Reviewed on: PS4

Game description: Bulletstorm is a 2011 first-person shooter video game made by Polish developer People Can Fly and the American company Epic Games, and is published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It was re-released for the PS4, Xbox One and PC in 2017.

Summary

Bulletstorm Full Clip Edition is a soulless remaster but despite its lack of new content, the core of the game is still solid and despite the dated visuals, the gameplay still holds up well making for one of the most entertaining first person shooter.